In addition to his honourable record in the consular service of the United States, Mr. Jernigan has placed English-reading people under further obligation by issuing what is probably the best single volume for all who have practical relations or business with the (-hinese. One may by long labour select from the mass of printed matter concerning China much of what Mr. Jernigan has collected; but here in one handy book is choice and exact information, carefully sifted, tested, and arranged concisely and in an orderly manner. Ho: has made a special study of those features of law and custom which help to explain a country like China, in which each province exists as an independent unit sufficient unto itself, while in theory the' power of the Emperor is unlimited. The antagonistic elements presented to the alien's view of administration are harmonise apparently by the universal solvent of a common educational and ial system. The real basis of this perduring fabric of government proceeds from the family unit, and not from the central authority at Peking—thus reversing the Japanese system. The customs which are the foundations of all law in China, are the customs of the family, and it is difficult to know the inner springs of history or everyday procedure unless one has studied the family life of the people. This Mr, Jernigan has done so: well that his text has a commendable clearness and directness. One feels here the firm touch of one who, besides consulting standard authorities, has had long observation and practical experience.
Wo know of no book that enables one to: see clearly those differences in the great Chinese mass which have. been wrought by the physical influences operating through. thousands of years. For example, in the United States the drainage of the country is from north to south, while that in China is chiefly from west to east, the three great commercial cities being naturally at the mouths of her three great rivers. Centuries of agriculture have created in the Chinese peasant a frenzy for removing the forests, with the result that now he must grub up grass, roots, and the droppings of animals for fuel, and thus keep the treeless land denuded. The cutting down of the forests has not only been the cause of drought and flood, but has had. the effect: of congesting population slong the river valleys and maritime provinces, leaving cons table portions of China uninhabited. North-China and South China have boon virtually separated for ages, and only. in comparatively. modern time: have the two differing populations mixed.
Keeping in view these differences, created not only by ethnic origins, but by natural forces, the author proceeds to discuss, in fifteen chapters, Statute and Family Law, Tenure and Transfer of Pro-porty, Taxations, Courts, Guilds, Business Customs, and Tr ter, and Railway, etc. source of revenue. The coffers of the Government would be usually full if the ailministration wore honestly conducted but while the revenue of the Empire ought to be 115,000,000 taols derived from the land tax, salt gabelle, customs duties, etc., not more than 80,000,000 taels actually' reach the treasury in Poking. Even of this sum, more than half is already mortgaged for the payment of foreign loans and indemnities. Sir Robert Hart that-at present th only hope of a revenue sufficient to keep China from bankruptey is in a rearrangoment of the land tax, and in his recent memorandum, he indicates how the reform may be accomplished.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.